Flowering Leader
by risingfallback
Summary: NejiHina Hinata has stepped up and has taken leadership over the Hyuuga. But with plotting elders, old enemies resurfacing, a nosy sister, and a blooming romance between her and Neji, what is poor Hinata to do?


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Flowering Leader

Chapter 1

"She can't lead us. She will be the downfall of generations of perfection, of tradition! The elders refuse to even dare think of her as the heiress and we certainly won't let her lead us! She is too soft, too easy to mold. Her emotions will drive us into the dust!"

A hand whipped up, stopping the enraged ranting of the elderly man. "I understand why you would say that," a deep, calm voice said, fingers lacing together on top of the cold oak desk. "But I ask you to reconsider your feelings and think over it."

"I will not," the man stated stubbornly, and if he hadn't been raised not to, he would have crossed his arms on his chest. "She can't lead us, not now, not ever. I would think that you, Hiashi, out of all people would know this."

Hiashi felt a headache coming on and rubbed his cold fingers along his bare forehead. "My daughter has grown, both in physical strength and emotional strength. She no longer needs Neji to help her and she can even hold her own against him on her good days. Her stuttering has ceased and she can even manage to keep herself from fainting whenever she sees the Kyuubi boy. Her medical skills too have grown. Do those accomplishments mean nothing to you?"

The man shook his head. "They are nothing. As heir, she should have been able to bypass all of those weaknesses from the get go. Instead, it has taken her her whole life. I cannot honestly place any of my trust or care into a weakling like her."

"What do you suggest I do then?"

The man smirked confidently. "I think Hanabi would make a perfect leader. She is agile, cunning and sly, all the things a good leader requires. She can come up with a battle plan on the spot and can enact it just as well. She has learned nearly all of the main branch's secrets-on her own-and she is top of her class. What more can you ask for?" the smug man finished. He felt confident in his choice for successor, enough to challenge the current leader of his family.

His mistake.

"I could think of a couple of things," Hiashi commented. "Hanabi, though all of those things and more, is still a child. She is overconfident and her ego causes a disturbance whenever she is with a team. She is rude and overbearing. She cannot stand to be in crowds and following orders-" here the man snorted- "she would rather kiss dirt than admit she was wrong. So yes, she is a strong ninja-but a leader? I'm not certain of that. Hinata on the other hand has social grace and passion for those around her. I think those are the defining traits of a future leader, not just raw strength and talent. "

The man kept his face schooled into a semblance of calm, but on the inside he was seething. Again, he had been shown up by Hiashi, and again was made to look the part of the fool. He desperately wanted to throttle the other man, but he coughed lightly instead and said, "Well, I can see that this is going nowhere. I think a meeting should be held with the council and the leader should be chosen then." He folded his arms into his kimono sleeves, trying not to visibly shake.

Hiashi stood up slowly, his metal chair scraping the wood floor. "As I am the current leader, my power trumps yours. I decide who will be leader and who will not. And since I have this power...I am letting the two work it out on their own. They alone shall decide who will be leader and who won't."

The man's jaw fell and he couldn't care less. His hands flew from his sleeves and hit the desk with a resounding whack!

"Certainly you are not suggesting this?!"

"I am, Ryuu. I have controlled my daughters' lives for far too long. I think that this choice should be handed to them as it dictates their future. I wouldn't want either of them to be thrust into something they don't want. I have done that far too much." A scowl lit his face. "For once, I will be a good father and will let my daughters choose. This is the end of the discussion. You may leave and tell the council of my choice."

Ryuu grit his teeth, but bowed his head as Hiashi made himself comfy again. "I will be right on it," he said, heading towards the door. But as soon as his fingers gripped the wood, Hiashi called out for him. He turned, brows furrowed.

"And don't even presume that you will be able to sway my daughter's to what you want. I will be meeting with them tonight over dinner and will be telling them of this. If I catch wind of you trying to lure them, I will kick you out of the main branch and relegate you to the side, complete with the curse mark. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Hiashi-sama. You make yourself perfectly clear."

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Silent footsteps stalked down the length of the open hallway. They followed the well worn path, stopping at the last door on the right and opening it with a soft swish.

"Good evening father," the owner of the footsteps said in a gentle, calm voice.

"Good evening Hinata. Come sit." A pale hand flashed in the air, gesturing for her to come forward.

Hinata Hyuuga nodded at Hiashi, and took her place at the low table in the middle of the room. She folded her feet underneath her and said politely, "Good evening, Hanabi, Neji."

The other two in the room mumbled their own greetings. "Good evening, Hinata," the other male said stoically, placing his chopsticks back on the table. He nudged the girl on the right of him, causally poking her in the side. She jerked awake and tiredly grumbled, "Evening."

Hinata smiled. Her younger sister Hanabi was forever tired and apathetic looking, even when she was excited- a trait that she alone seemed to happily accomplish. And Neji was pretty much a clone of Hiashi himself; schooled outer appearance, while being calculating and emotional on the inside.

"Now we can eat," Hiashi said, picking his own chopsticks up from the table. He lifted some noodles to his lips and chewed silently. The rest of the table followed suit, though the sound of Hanabi's boyish chewing overpowered everyone elses.

Hinata shifted subtly. Fresh bandages had been tighytly wrapped around her upper arms and they itched so fiercely that she had to bite her lip to prevent herself from scratching them. She had been careless in practice and had let Tsunade catch her, throwing her off balance and into a thicket of thorns. Tsunade had laughed her head off at the time, but as soon as Hinata reamerged with a determined fighting stance, she had readily gotten back into the spirit of the spar.

The stuttering, weak, forever blushing heiress was no more. She had been replaced with a stronger, slightly more confident heiress that when called for could hold back the sudden urge to blush. Haven taken a big step, she had asked-or blurted out while blushing- to become Tsunade's apprentice. When asked why, she had stated, "To become a worthy successor to my clan. I think this will bring honor to them, from me."

She had proved time and again since then that she could live up to her title. Though some still doubted her, she held her head high and never let their words affect her as they once had in her childhood. Never one to be cocky, she wouldn't think of herself as better then anyone else, even if the fact was true. But she did feel that the title of leader of the Hyuuga clan was something that she wanted and would work for to obtain.

She felt the urge to sigh. Though always cheerful on the outside, on the inside she was battling with herself. She really needed to know something...something that she couldn't answer herself.

Across the table, Neji watched his cousin through slitted eyes. Normally, she would provide light chatter throughout the otherwise silent meal. But she hadn't said more than a greeting the entire time. Her lavender gaze was fixed on the ground and she was only picking at her food, frowning in concentration. There was something bothering her. But what was it?

Since the chunnin exam Neji and Hinata had steadily gotten closer, nearly as close as when they had been young children. Neji had nearly had a heart attack when he had asked- more like begged-for her to forgive him for ever laying a hand on her. She had only weakly smiled and said, "Of course."

So it was little wonder to the everyone in the room when he set his chopsticks aside and pushed his bowl away. He settled his hands on his lap. "Is there something that you would like to ask one of us Hinata?"

Hinata blinked. Then slowly, she smiled and giggled, hiding modestly behind her hand. "Ah, yes there is."

"Go ahead and ask," her father said gruffly. Though better than he had been, he still needed work when it came to orders.

Hinata bowed slightly to him. She turned to Hanabi, who had taken to twirling a chopstick in her hand with her chackra alone. "I heard from Ino today that you are going to start up training with Tsunade-sensei as well. Is that true?"

Hanabi distractedly shrugged. "Yeah, so what?" Her sole focus was on the twirling chopstick. "I thought it would be better for everyone if I learned medical ninjutsu as well. Become a more rounded shinobi and all that crap."

"You didn't clear it with me," Hiashi said warningly. "You should have come straight to me and asked first, just like your sister did when she planned one training under the sannin."

Hanabi yawned loudly, her mouth stretching riducously wide. "Fine then. Can I train under her?" she sang out, her sing song voice, clearly meant to mock him,

Hiashi frowned and remained silent. He had begged for sons and had been given daughters. Oh, the joy of being a dad.

"Why do you even care so much?" Hanabi asked, turning her attention back to her sister.

"It's just that Tsunade can a bit rash and harsh," Hinata explained. The gleam in Hanabi's eyes was not a good sign. She pressed on. "I think it would be a clash of personalities. I think you should have Shizune as your mentor. She is much better suited to teach you then Tsunade."

Hanabi's chopstick nearly hit Neji in the face if he hadn't caught it just in time. "Watch yourself," he ordered, throwing it back at her.

"And why would you think that?" Hanabi challenged, standing up to her full height. It wasn't much considering she was the shortest member in the room.

Hinata met her gaze full on. She didn't like fighting with her sister, but the matter needed to be taken care of. "It's not that you aren't good enough. But Tsunade gives out the worst punishments and as you are a bit on the argumentative side I am sure that you would rather avoid those. They tend to end up with somehow doing all of her paperwork or cleaning her office, both activities in which your skills fail you."

Hanabi contemplated her words. Then she slouched back down to the floor. "Thanks," she said, a cherry red blush painting her face. "I guess that would be better, huh?"

Hiashi nodded silently. "I think that is the perfect solution," he said, though from the almost invisible gleam in his eye it didn't seem that he agreed.

Hinata smiled and started eating again. She was happy that she had persuaded her sister to see things her way. It would have been disastrous if Hanabi had really gone through with training with the fifth Hokage.

After the rest had finished, Hiashi gently clapped his hands together, calling for everyone's attention. "I have something that I need to tell all three of you. Something that will directly-or indirectly-affect what position you will hold in this clan."

Hinata gulped and covered her mouth, while Hanabi pretended to look uninterested. Neji remained the same, though Hinata saw his eyes flicker to her before settling quickly back on Hiashi.

The man folded his hands on the table, the sleeves of his kimono nearly covering them. "As you know, tradition stats that the eldest of the family is to take on the title of leader of this clan," he started, his eyes lowered. "Hyuuga are all about tradition."

"But this year, I have had some troubling reports. It seems that the council wants to overthrow that tradition in this one case." The veins around his eyes pulsed dangerously. "They want to skip over you, Hinata and make Hanabi the leader of our clan."

Hinata felt her body deflate. Her fingers started to form the familiar and comforting position, ready to tap each other, but she stopped. Unconsciously, she looked to Hanabi. Her sister was watching her with flaming eyes, and Hinata, for all that she had learned, could not decipher the hidden meaning in them.

Hiashi coughed. "I do not want them to make the choice for either of you," he went on, pointidly looking at each of his children. "So this once, we are letting you decide who will be leader."

Hanabi exploded. "What do you mean?" she questioned, her voice rising as she slammed her palm onto the table. "Why would you do that?"

"Hanabi."

The younger girl sat, grudgingly obeying her sister's quiet order.

Hinata sat straighter, prouder. "Who do you think would be the better choice?" she intoned, moving a lock of her violet hair out of her eyesight. She wanted all of her attention on her father. His opinion meant a lot to her.

"As you all know," he said, "I favored Hanabi. I saw her brute strength and her clear confidence. But now...I think that Hinata would make a better leader and that Hanabi should continue to be a strong asset to the main branch as a ninja."

Both sisters stilled, while Neji just watched on. Morbid fascination kept him from leaving, for he would never be granted the right to be leader.

"The council will have to serve whomever is made the leader. The only catch is that you must make the decision within three days. You have no more time than that. If you cannot make up your minds..." he paused, lifting his head. The veins on either side of his face pulsed, his bloodline limit activated to prove a point, "...then we will randomly select either of you to lead. I just want to let you know that I don't want it to came down to that." He stood, Byakugan deactivating and walked calmly to the door. "Do what is best for the clan," was all he said, before he left.

Hanabi huffed, her arms wrapped tightly against her flat chest. "Great way to inform us Dad," she muttered ironically, blowing the thing tendril of hair that was forever falling in her face.

"I'm sure that Uncle thought it was best," Neji told her. "Why else would he have invited only the three of us to dinner?"

"I didn't think of that," she confessed, biting her lip.

Hinata rose, stretching her muscles though a tight frown marred her otherwise expressionless face. "Before we even start to discuss this, I think we should ask Neji what he thinks about this."

Hanabi shrugged. "Why not? What do you think, oh great one." She mock bowed to him, smirking.

Neji ignored the comment. "What does it matter what I think?"

Hinata smiled. "Because you are the one that is my protector. If I become leader than you are automatically made Hanabi's protector instead."

"Oh, forgot that didn't you?" Hanabi mocked, poking him on the forehead.

Neji whipped her hand away. "I did not." His argument was so childish that Hinata giggled.

"Well, either way you are somehow affected with this choice," Hinata went on, sitting next to him shyly, her feet crossed. The smile on her face was pure. "So don't you at least want to voice your opinion?"

Neji gulped. Hinata was giving him Bambi eyes and he couldn't look away. "Fine. Fine, I'll tell you."

"Goody," Hanabi said blandly. She scuttled closer to his other side, poking her head through the gap in his arm. The rest of her body stretched out. He sent her an annoyed glare but she stuck her tongue out. She was such a brat.

"Don't worry too much about my choice, but I think that you should follow what Uncle says. Hanabi is a perfect ninja type. Leadership would bore you too much," he directed at her. "And Hinata, you are a decent ninja, but we all know that you cringe at killing. At best you would make a great medic nin. I think that Hanabi should continue on her path to being the best ninja she can be and that Hinata, you should be the leader of clan Hyuuga."

Thoughtfully Hanabi tilted her head. "I think he's right. Hinata you can be leader," she said blandly, letting her head rest on Neji's leg. He tried to push her off but she clung to him with her dirt encrusted nails. "Meeting with the elders, doing paperwork always staying in the confines of the compound are not things that I can do on a daily basis. You can have the position. I'm going to sleep now. " Her eyes fluttered close and she curled up closer to Neji, who's facial expression alone was enough to cause Hinata to choke on her laughter.

"Do you mind?" he asked, voice full of restraint. On the inside he was ready to strangle her petit neck.

"Not at all," she strung out, smiling into the cloth of his white pants. She winked at her red faced sister, who was trying not to fall over she was shaking so bad.

"Get off of my lap."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Uh..Neji? I don't think this is going to go anywhere if you keep sitting there," Hinata pointed out. She shifted closer, and to every ones surprise laid down on his other knee as well, face upwards to him. "So why don't I join in on all the fun?" She stuck her tongue out, imitating Hanabi, who was the one withholding giggles now.

"I hate you both," Neji said, his arms crossed haughtily across his chest.

"No you don't," they said together.

Hinata flopped onto her stomach, her elbows coming to rest against Neji to prop her head up. "Are you sure Hanabi?"

Hanabi let her eyes open for a second. "Yes, I'm sure, that's why I said it," she snapped.

Hinata reached out and patted her sister's head. "Alright then. I guess I'm going to be the clan's next leader," she stated, her voice a little shaky.

"Don't worry about it so much," Neji soothed. "I'm sure you'll make a great head."

Hanabi snorted into his lap. "Or you could fuck up so bad that you go down in history as the worst leader ever," she said.

"Hanabi," Neji warned, his glowing fist close to her grinning face.

"Fine, fine." The malicouse grin disappered to be replaced with a genuine smile. "I think you'll do fine, Hinata. Really."

Hinata tapped her sister on the head. "Thanks for making me worry."

Hanabi shrugged. "That's what I'm here for. That and making Neji pissed off."

"You do a perfect job at that."

"I thought so."

"Get off now."

"Nope."

Hinata let her eyes close, listening to the banter between Hanabi and Neji. The two often got into small fights with each other, while Hinata watched. Neji was usually the victor only because if he didn't get his way, he tended to ignore the other people around him.

She flipped to her side, and let her finger's clutch at his pants leg. She burrowed her cold nose into his side and sighed. Neji was the perfect pillow, warm and unmoving.

"Is she asleep?" she heard Hanabi ask.

Poke. Poke poke. Poke poke poke.

"Hey, stop it," Hinata said, her arms flailing to dislodge the invading fingers touching her head. She expected Hanabi to be the culprit but when she caught sight of a smug Neji she pouted. Another person knew her tickilish spot. "Can't I sleep?"

"No," Neji and Hanabi chouresed.

"I had a hunch you would say that," she muttered, wiping at her eyes.

Hinata slowly unfurled her body. She felt Neji stiffen, and curiosly she looked up at him. He was arguing with Hanabi again, but she could still feel the slight shift in his muscles. Interesting.

"Well, I'm going to go," she announced, finally standing. Hanabi and Neji blinked up at her. "What?"

"Where are you going?" Neji asked.

Hinata smiled. It was customary that Neji play twenty questions with her-but she was the one that always had to answer, even if she was suposed to be granted questions as well. "I'm going to my room."

"Why?" Hanabi slurred, winking at Neji. Hinata didn't notice.

"I have scrolls I have to study," she said breezily, clearly not saying too much about what she was going to do. "I'll see you two in the morning." She bowed, and walked out, leaving the others in the room silent for a moment.

Hanabi almost immediatly moved out of Neji's lap. "Well, that was interesting," she said, finger lazily scratching her chin.

"What was? You being a brat. That's only normal." He brushed the crumbs off of his shirt that Hanabi had left.

"No not that," she waved away his remark casually. A wicked grin popped up. "How Hinata only initates contact with you when I do. Never by herself."

"And you find this interesting why...?"

"Just a question I would like to have an answer to."

Neji let her leave and a few seconds after, he followed. But he turned right instead of left, heading to the branch quarters. He had been given the option to move into the main branch, next door to Hinata, but he had passed on it. He would have been sandwiched between Hinata and Hanabi and he didn't want to know how much sleep he would lose living next to them.

_So...Hinata will lead the clan...and I will oversee Hanabi from now one..._Neji thought, frowning as he walked into his room. It was simple with a neat bed and a desk with scrolls stacked tidily on the corner.

He threw his white shirt off and changed into knee length black shorts. The summer nights were hot and tonight was no exception. Clicking the lamp light on, he settled in at his desk, folding his hands on it and propping his chin up.

For many months, Neji had known that the choice for leader would come up. Hinata was nearing her eighteenth birthday while Hanabi had already celebrated her thirteenth. It was only natural that the Hyuuga would want a name before hand.

But something bothered him...he just couldn't tell what it was. Hiashi had said that the council had chosen Hanabi, but it was plain that she would never be leader material. There must have been an alterior motive for their choice. One he would discover when given more time. For now, he let his chair scrap the floor and his body sag into the stiff piece of wood.

Hinata, a leader...he smiled. She had been struggling for that right her whole life, fighting against all of the insults and put downs that had been thrown her way. But here she was. Just months away from becoming the head, from reaching her goal. A swell of pride gathered in his chest.

Hinata...his cousin. Since the moment she had forgiven him, he had stuck by her side, by his own choice. It had never been her fault. She had been a helpless kid, just like him as innocent as anyone in his father's choice to die.

Neji felt his skin rapidly getting hotter as he remembered what had happened at dinner. Hanabi's point had rang out true. Hinata almost never touched him, unless someone else was at the same time. Yet, whenever she did connect with him, it was never cold. The way she had leaned against him had been very familiar. He liked it. He wished she would do it more.

For now, he would remain her protector, and when she become leader her cousin, ally, and friend.

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AN

My first ever NejiHina! And the longest chapter I have ever written. I feel somewhat accomplished.

Kayashima: We already know that.

Kita (me): You can read my aura. The average person can't.

Kayashima: They can't see ghosts either.

Kita: Lucky bastard.

Anways, NejiHina all the way! There will be Sakura bashing as always. So if you like Sakura for whatever reason you might want to leave. You have been warned. Don't you dare flame me! Updates...will take a while since I don't have the plot all worked out yet and I have other (many) stories to write. But I will get them done. All of them. Unless, you know, I die or something.

Kayashima: Kita-chan doesn't own Naruto. If she did, Sakura would die and Sasuke wouldn't be so emo. Oh and Orochimaru wouldn't be a pedophile.

Kita: pretty much. Though Sasuke is funny as an emo. The other two...

Kayashima: Please review for Kita-chan!

Kita: Until next time.


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